A Fresh Start
by lilmissaone
Summary: "Hmm," the blond hummed. "Well, it appears you've already answered our question, my lady—" He broke off as his head tilted towards me, a strange look creeping in on his face. I clutched my knife tightly in my hands, shivering uncontrollably. I hadn't run away from my uncle just to be stopped by a bunch of drugged up lunatics. "Stay away," I said. "I mean it." OC, more inside.
1. Chapter 1

_Hi guys! This is a new story, please let me know what you think! Also, just as a side note, for now there are no pairings...This story is rated M for flashbacks of abuse in later chapters. I may put a pairing in this later, but for now, it's just an adventure story. ~lilmissaone_

* * *

Sliding stiffly over to the edge of my bed, I let my feet skim the floor until I pressed them flat against the cool surface. I paused, making sure that the snores in the living room were steady and louder than the television. I didn't want to risk being interrupted tonight, especially not by him. I gripped the mattress tightly, looking down at the floor. I had been planning this for as long as I had lived with my uncle, and now it was finally happening.

Shivering more from anxiety than the cold air, I stood up and dressed silently, wincing as I maneuvered my clothing around fresh cuts and bruises. I shouldered my pack and opened the bedroom door, creeping over weak places in the floor that could potentially alert my presence. I glanced about the dark living room, Jacob's sprawled figure illuminated by the glow of the television screen.

I choked back a cry as Jacob's arm jerked forward. "Melissa!" he moaned wantonly. Hardly daring to breathe, I waited until I was absolutely certain he was asleep before moving forward.

Melissa was my uncle's late wife. She was shot by a gang in a store robbery six years ago, not long after I moved in with them. Since then, Jacob became a wreck and was constantly spending what little money he scraped from his living on alcohol and drugs. Overtime, I learned to answer to two names; Ella at school and when Jacob was sober, and Melissa when he was too drunk to tell the difference between his late wife and his niece.

I prayed earnestly that I wouldn't hear either name called tonight.

Now stepping even lighter than before, I managed to sneak my way into the kitchen. I drew a knife from its slot in the wall, in case I needed to defend myself. I reached for the door knob and turned it slowly, opening the door just enough so that I could slip past, then carefully closing it behind me. I took a few steps forward.

I had done it. I was outside my house of my own volition. Now it was only a race against time. If I could make it to the park by dawn, I was safe.

Knife at the ready, I made my way to the back of the house, where a thick forest stood. I stepped gingerly around the poison ivy lacing the ground, thankful for my jeans, hoodie and sneakers to protect me from the hungry foliage. I quickened my pace soon after entering the forest, not caring if I left a trail because even if I did, I knew somehow that he wouldn't be able to catch me. I was giddy and shaking with nerves and excitement. Soon, I would be far from that hell house and I would be free. I was seventeen years old, though it might be tricky trying to convince the authorities of that. Due to a lack of nutrition since Jacob wasted most of his money on getting drunk and because I was naturally petite, I probably looked more like a fourteen-year-old. But I had planned to try and pass for eighteen if I got caught by the police. I certainly wasn't going to return to my uncle and most definitely did not want to go into foster care. As soon as I made it to the park, I was free.

But where _was_ it?

I pulled the map I had stolen from the local drug store out of my kangaroo pocket. I had to squint in the dim lights to see the barely noticeable mark, but that's what made this plan achievable; the park was abandoned, and not many people actually knew it was there. The only ones that did were teenagers who wanted to make out in private. There was a shelter in the park that I could stay in until I figured out a better living arrangement. I tilted the map in my hands as I walked, frowning. Just like it suggested, I had moved east through the forest, and at the pace I had set for myself, I figured I should have reached it by now. _Although, the distance always looked shorter on paper_, I reminded myself dryly.

I kept walking, unable to shake the feeling that I had made a wrong turn and gotten lost and desperately hoping against it. With the knife in one hand and the map carefully folded in the other, I could feel my fingers numbing from the cold and wished I had another jacket. I had a blanket folded neatly in my pack but I didn't want to stop to get it out, not when I was possibly so close to freedom. I walked steadily on until a twig snapped behind me.

I froze and my stomach lurched. I raised my knife slowly, just in case I needed to use it. I stayed completely still in my spot and listened closely.

Another rustle in the bushes and I bolted. I shoved leaves and branches out of the way, running faster than I ever remembered running in my life. The sound of feet thumping behind me only had me darting through the undergrowth quicker.

"Wait! Miss, please! Stop!" a man's voice shouted behind me. It didn't sound like Jacob, but that didn't make me slow down any. It had to be either the police or a druggie, but what would either be doing out in the middle of a forest?

"We just want to talk to you!" another voice cried. I stumbled over a rock, but kept running. It had to be the police, but his accent didn't sound anything like it belonged here. It almost sounded…British? I couldn't risk finding out, however. Even through the shadow of the trees above me, I could see the night was fading away and I still hadn't made it to the park.

My chest was heaving and I was trembling more than I cared to admit. I could feel myself slowing down as my legs burned with effort, much to my own dismay, but I kept pushing myself. The forest around me was beginning to clear noticeably; I pressed forward, gasping in pain but too close now to give up.

A few more strides brought me out of the forest completely, and I stopped at the edge, looking around. What I found was even more disheartening than the footsteps fast approaching behind me.

Nothing but green, rolling hills, stretching out as far as I could see, glowing in the first lights of morning. I inhaled the cool, sharp air heavily, trying to catch my breath and think clearly. This did not make any sense. The park had to be here, but nothing in the map indicated any such landscape as this. I looked down, stiff fingers flexing as I realized that I had dropped my map during the run. I jumped back quickly as two figures dashed out of the forest.

They were short, but still close to my height as I was on the smaller side. However, it was their manner of dress rather than their height that made them stand out. They were covered in furs, leather, weathered looking tunics and boots. One had dark hair and stubble on his face, dark eyes looking around, and he gripped a bow in his hand. The other, blond with strange looking braids (even in his moustache), held two rugged twin swords in his hands and was standing beside the other man.

"Hmm," the blond hummed. "Well, it appears you've already answered our question, my lady—"

He broke off as his head tilted towards me, a strange look creeping in on his face. I clutched my knife tightly in my hands, shivering uncontrollably. I hadn't run away from my uncle just to be stopped by a bunch of drugged up lunatics. I carefully took a step back, knife still aimed at the two of them.

"My lady?" the other asked softly. My gaze flickered over to him as I edged back.

"Stay away," I said, hating how low and unsteady my voice was. "I mean it."

* * *

_Review please? Thanks so much for reading!_


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Wow, I did not mean to be gone for so long. I haven't abandoned this story, though I have a terrible habit to start fanfics and never finish them...It all depends on where it takes me, I guess. For whatever reason, this chapter was a challenge to write, and I'm still not sure I like how it turned out...Thanks for sticking with this, hopefully I'll update quicker! -lilmissaone_

_Thanks to Mhunter, for your review! I really appreciate you giving me feedback. Hope there are more to come! :)_

* * *

The brunet raised his hands slowly, his expression mirroring the other's. "Alright," he said quietly. "It's alright."

"Stay back!" I snapped as the blond edged closer, and he immediately stepped back. My arms and legs felt weak and the knife shook in my grasp, but I tried to keep my fear out of my face. If they saw any trepidation in me, they might take it as a sign to keep going. And I was _not_ going down without a fight.

My gaze flickered briefly to the blond's weapons before looking back up at his face. Taking notice, he knelt down and placed them on the dewy grass, slowly straightening again with his palms facing me. "There, is that what you want?" he asked softly, the dark one behind him following suit. "We won't hurt you. It's fine."

I paused, staring at them intently. They weren't acting like they were high. Their actions and lack of slurred voice didn't even suggest they were drunk. Suspicion crept into my mind and I narrowed my eyes, never dropping my knife. "Who are you?" I asked apprehensively.

"My name is Fili," the blond said in that same voice, as if he were talking to a frightened animal.

"And mine is Kili," the brunet responded. They both shared the same expression, one that reminded me of a long time ago, when one of my teachers confronted me about my uncle. But that had gone nowhere; I hadn't told her anything and even if I had, my uncle would have cleaned everything up in time anyway. That's what he'd always done in the past, and I hadn't dared stand up to him again.

I didn't let up on my gaze. "Those are odd names," I muttered.

"Well, what is your name?" the blond asked. I didn't say anything for a long time, and he smiled slowly in response, though there was nothing lean or cruel about it.

"That's alright. It's fine," he repeated, as if it really was. I kept my knife up, trained on the two of them.

"Where are you from?" I questioned. If they said they were from the local area, then I knew they were either lying or crazy, as their accents gave them away. They exchanged glances, and my heart caught in my throat.

"Well…originally, Erebor, but I suppose you could say the Blue Mountains," said the brunet. I stopped completely, eyes wide. Something clicked in my mind, and I remembered reading a book in school. I couldn't recall everything from it, but those names were very familiar. There was no sign of a lie in the man's dark eyes.

But that didn't mean he wasn't insane.

I took another step back, not caring if fear showed in my expression anymore. They were crazy enough that they probably wouldn't recognize it, anyway. They watched me, that same look in their eyes. "Where…are we? Do you know?" I asked, voice trembling as badly as my knees beneath me though neither could be controlled. The blond's eyebrows drew over his blue eyes, and he exchanged another look with the brunet.

"Well…I suppose we're in the Shire," he said slowly. "That's what we were going to ask you when you ran away. You…You don't know where you are?"

My breathing quickened, and I knew I was in trouble. I was lost and in the company of two clinically insane men. I searched desperately for some sign of civilization, already knowing that none could be found. My heart thudded rapidly in my chest, blood pumping around my ears, and I thought for a moment that I might be having a heart attack.

I flinched violently as a calloused hand gently closed around my wrist, and flinched again as it didn't go away. "Let go," I said, trying to sound assertive and resulting in nothing close. I risked a glance into the man's blue eyes and flickered away as soon as I did. His eyes seemed sane and he didn't act like he was crazy. But he had to be. Nothing else made sense.

He took the knife from my hand effortlessly and tossed it onto the ground, though he didn't let go of my wrist. "Perhaps…you should sit down and rest?" the dark one suggested, easing closer. "We could stop for a moment and—"

"No, I can't. Have to go," I managed, head spinning. All I knew was that I had to get away from these freaks, and _fast_. I kept my eyes trained on the ground, refusing to look at them any longer.

The grip on my hand tightened, though not painfully, and the blond started forward. "No, my lady. It seems like you could use some help," he told me, and I shuddered, resisting weakly.

"Please, I need to keep going," I said, feeling hysterical. I hadn't begged since I was eleven and Jacob first called me Melissa. I squeezed my eyes shut tightly, trying to block everything out.

There was a pause. "Why?" The blond was speaking, sounding uneasy. "Where do you need to go so urgently?"

I fell silent, going limp in his grasp and staring down at my sneakers.

"Who are you, Miss?" The blond asked beside me. "Where are you trying to go?"

I thought about it for a long time, the silence that followed his questions piercing. "Are we really in the Shire?" I asked, half afraid of the answer.

"It might be best if you answered us first," the brunet advised gently, but I was already shaking my head.

"I can't answer your question until you answer mine."

The two looked at each other again, something that I guessed was a habit. "Yes, I believe we are," said the brunet.

"Can you prove it?" I whispered. They both hesitated, and the blond dug around his tunic until he pulled out a folded piece of parchment, which he carefully unraveled and offered to me.

"Well, Miss, we aren't in the Shire yet. I'm fairly certain we are here," he indicated a patch of greenery on the battered map "close to Brandywine River, on the very outskirts of the Shire."

I stared at the map for what felt like a long time before I looked up at them. "Show me this river," I said, "and I'll answer your questions."

* * *

The sun had risen bright and high, making the air less chilly than it had been earlier. Not much was said as we walked and I kept mostly to myself, the blond having released me when he realized I wouldn't run away. Soon I could hear the sound of rushing water and dread sat heavy on my stomach. We kept moving until sure enough, there was a river, and more rolling hills on the other side with round doors and smoke trailing from them. We stood in silence for a moment until I fell back on my haunches, a thousand thoughts racing through my head. I shrunk back slightly as the two men crouched down beside me, waiting.

"This is real," I said, not really meaning to say it aloud.

"I think perhaps, Miss, that you owe us an explanation?" the brunet, Kili, said softly, that strange look on his face. I considered him for a moment.

"Maybe so," I said at last, giving in. Now that I was in a different world, what harm would come of it? But as the two settled down beside me, I started to fidget as I realized it would be a little more difficult than I thought.

"What's your name, my lady?" the blond, Fili, asked again.

"Ella," I answered quietly. Kili snorted, though not unkindly.

"_We_ have odd names," he said to the other. I forced a smile, realizing he was trying to lighten the mood. Fili gave a small, almost sad smile, and I quickly found that I could not hold either man's gaze for too long.

"How did you come by this?" I glanced up as Fili drew his fingers across his forehead. When my brow creased in confusion, he gestured towards the river, and I moved closer to peer into the clear water. Though the image was blurry, I could see a large, ugly bruise forming there, and I frowned at my reflection. I was usually very careful to make sure Jacob left no marks from the neck up for this reason. I swallowed, keeping my face emotionless as I turned back to the men.

"Must've fallen in the forest. I don't really remember that well," I said vacantly, hoping they would buy into my lie.

It seemed to work, though I could sense their suppressed apprehension. "Very well, where were you headed?" Kili asked softly.

I swept a lady bug off of my shoe laces. "Don't know," I muttered quietly. "I don't really remember that either."

It was then that I realized even though everything hadn't gone according to plan, I had still won. It was a mystery how I had ended up in this strange, fairytale world, and even though I knew it had many dangers of its own, I was far, far away from my uncle. I was _free_!

""So I don't suppose you know why you wear such strange clothing either?" Fili asked, shaking me from my happy thoughts. I smiled sadly in response.

"I wish I did," I lied, playing the part and looking down at my clothes in confusion. "I'm sorry."

"That must have been some kind of blow, then," the blonde said, eyeing me easily, "to make you forget like that."

I scrutinized him carefully. "Yes, I must have fallen very hard," I replied evenly, having trained my voice not to give any truth away for six years. The men examined me for a moment longer before Fili stood, clasping his hands together.

"Well," he said casually, offering me his hand, "You must be starved. Come, let's cross the river and get some food in you."

I blinked at the abrupt change of conversation, but took his hand hesitantly. Being in this new land, I didn't know where to go, and I actually had an appetite growing with the knowledge that I was safely away from my uncle.

* * *

_A/N: Thanks for reading! This might have been a little confusing, but everything will right itself in time :) Review please?_


End file.
